I TIMOTHY: Widows are to be Taken Care of by Their Relatives and then the Church; "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever!"

Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. (I Timothy 4:15-16)

In the previous lesson, Paul stressed to Timothy not to let his youth deter him from doing what he had to do as a leader in helping to establishing the churches he was sent to. Although he was young, Timothy would have great responsibility, and he needed to make sure he was prepared.  The best defense he would have for any opposition would be the doctrine, the scriptures, the Word of God.  People may not care what we have to say; but how they respond to "thus says the Lord" is a totally different matter. "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:37)

First, Paul instructs him on how to deal with the adults in the church family, especially widows. Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity. Honor widows who are really widows [having no family]. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God. (I Timothy 5:1-4)

Many cultures around the world understand this a little more than we do in the west, because many if not most of the women in the west work at whatever jobs they want. But during biblical times, and still in many parts of the world today, women were not allowed to work certain jobs.  That's why when Naomi's husband died, and then her sons died also, and just she and her two daughters-in-law were left alone, she said, “Do not call me Naomi [pleasant]; call me Mara [bitter], for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. " (Ruth 1:20-21) There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” (Ruth 2:1-2)

If a widow had any living relatives, they were supposed to take care of her; let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God.  Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives. And these things command, that they may be blameless. But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (I Timothy 5:5-8)

Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man, well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work. (I Timothy 5:9-10) If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows. (I Timothy 5:16)

Again, a widows relatives are supposed to take care of her; if anyone does not provide for his own, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.  The church and society should not be burdened with taking care of older people who have relatives that are able to take care of them.  That's what family is for!  Children or grandchildren should repay their parents.  But the widow must also behave in a way that is pleasing and acceptable to the Lord.  She who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.

Which leads to how to deal with younger widows compared to older widows. But refuse the younger widows; for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry, having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith. And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not. Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some have already turned aside after Satan. (I Timothy 5:11-15)

We've studied this in a previous lesson, but it bares repeating, that one of the biggest issues the churches within the Gentile nations had to deal with was sexual immorality. That's why Paul told the church in Corinth, It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. ... A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. (I Corinthians 7:1-2, 39)

Paul understood that the younger widows would be more tempted to grow wanton against Christ, and tempted to cast off their first faith, and turn aside after Satan. This applied to widowers also, but remember, during biblical times, women weren't able to work at certain jobs.  Their fathers or other male relatives took care of them, until they were married.  If their husbands died while they were still considered young, they were encouraged to remarry, preferably to another man in the Lord. 

We should still take care of widows today.  Her relatives should take care of her; and the church should take care of the widows who have no family. Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. (Isaiah 1:17) Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27) AMEN!